Dynamic workflow control between network entities

In a network capable of handling a number of concurrent network connections between network nodes, referred to as client and server, the client and server connection managers are customized by adding respective status handler components which add server status information requests, from client to server, and responsive status information, from server to client into message headers of messages being sent between the server and client. The supported server status information types for any given connection are defined when a connection is established through dialogue between the client and server, and then persist for the lifetime of the connection. The customizations of the server and client connection managers are modest and the increase in network traffic over the connection is proportionally very small. Moreover, status information requests can be processed and responded to quickly by attaching to messages that are being sent between the nodes.